162 Audience

The longer I stayed in the city, the more I wanted to leave it and I wasn't surprised why a plague would break out in thirty years... large numbers of rodents, mainly rats not afraid of people. I saw a few dead specimens that children played with... Just by the view of the street, it was possible to judge what district we are in. In poor districts, waste was poured out wherever it was possible, in the richer ones by the roads there were ditches into which the waste was poured... and in the very rich ones, the ditches were covered with wooden boards.

The city was rich, large and modern by 17th century standards... but with Rome and Constantinople in mind, the capital of the Ottoman Empire looked the best and made the best impression, followed by Rome in second place, London was third... I still had the opportunity to visit Paris, but I suspected it was very similar to the capital of the Kingdom of England.

Upon reaching Hampton Court, the servants took care of our luggage and put us in our rooms... despite being surprised by so many horses, the butler or the majordomo ordered the stables and fodder to be prepared quickly... Our audience with King Charles was scheduled in two days at the newly constructed Queen's House, south of the Palace of Placentia.

"You look like you haven't slept all night. Is it because of the audience?" (MC)

Ossolinski just looked at me and said nothing, a few seconds later he turned to me.

"Your Saber?" (Jerzy Ossolinski)

"I left in the room..." (MC)

"That's good..." (Jerzy Ossolinski)

"...but I have a knife with me so we'll be safe." (MC)

My sense of humor was not well received, but I did have a hidden knife with me, no big deal... but it can be useful if I have to cut or slice something.

We had less than thirty kilometers to reach the Queen's House, which turned out to be quite a pleasant trip, the roads we traveled were in as good condition as those in Podolia, not a big detail, but good road infrastructure is something that helps a lot in the development of the country. Rome's power was based on them, and when the roads ended... they got fucked in the Teutoburg Forest, to put it very simply.

When we were already in the Queen's House, I regretted a bit that I had not told the chamberlain to announce me as Prince Grzegorz Brzęczyszczykiewicz, Chrząszczyrzewoszyce coat of arms... but I finally gave up on this idea, I did not want the poor man to commit suicide, like François Vatel, majordomo of Prince Louis II of Bourbon- Condé, when he found out that the fresh fish he had ordered would be late for the royal feast... marvelous 17th century... religious wars, plagues, fires and late fish deliveries.

Together with Jerzy we entered the audience hall, first the chamberlain introduced Ossoliński, which was a challenge, but it was not my level of difficulty.

"...Wilkomir Michał Jazłowiecki-Ostrogski, Field Hetman of the Crown, Prince of Jazłowiec, Prince of the Reich, Prince of the Papal State, Moldavian boyar. Honored with the Order of the Golden Fleece and the Order of the Golden Spur." (Chamberlain)

Jerzy bowed low as befits a court etiquette, and I just nodded... Ossoliński hit his face with his hand instinctively, 400 years ahead of his time... the first historical facepalm.

There were murmurs of dissatisfaction around us, but I promised not to speak.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me, but Prince Jazłowiecki is not used to court etiquette... even in our country he has the opinion of an eccentric." (Jerzy Ossolinski)

The king, showing no emotion, looked at me. "Prince, do you know our language?" (King Charles)

"Yes" (MC)

"Is what Ambassador Ossolinski said true that you don't know the etiquette?" (King Charles)

"Yes, it is all so confusing. Before our king, I don't kneel either, and when I met the King of Sweden, the King of Denmark and the Tsar, they fell to their knees before me, so I thought it was some new custom or tradition... and I waited for Your Majesty to do the same." (MC)

One of the courtiers reacted to my words... in an indignant voice he started screaming

"How dare you..." (Courtier)

But before he could say anything else, l king silenced him with a gesture of his hand... and he started laughing.

"Bane of Kings... I heard a lot about you from my mother's brother, the King of Denmark. You took him captive while you fought for the Empire." (King Charles)

"I hope King Christian IV fondly remembers the time of his captivity, unfortunately I had to hand him over to Wallenstein quickly, my army did not have enough supplies to feed him... he fought like half of a soldier, but ate for ten." (MC)

Of course it was not true, the King of Denmark, he was fat, but I did not show him much consideration despite his position, he ate as much and as any other prisoner... but my remark amused the King of England. However, the most amusing for me was that from time to time Ossolinski pokes me with his elbow to keep me silent.

"Interesting... Prince Jazłowiecki, I would like to speak with you privately, after the audience, but first I would like to know why and with what mission the Polish King sent you here?" (King Charles)

Diplomacy was the scope of Ossolinski's activities and I did not intend to interfere with his work, and if the king had not spoken to me, I would have kept my word.

"Your Majesty, King Władysław would like to form a joint alliance against Sweden. Although several years ago their naval power in the Baltic was broken and they are currently fighting in the Holy Roman Empire, they are recovering their strength very quickly. In a few years, they may try to challenge the Kingdom of England, but together we can stop them." (Jerzy Ossolinski)

"Something I do not understand, over the last twenty years, the Kingdom of Poland, or actually the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, gained Livonia, Western Pomerania, Moscow, and recently Prussia. Your appetite does not know what moderation is?... and even if I was afraid of Sweden, and I am not, wouldn't it be better for me to ally myself with my uncle, the king of Denmark, than with the king of Poland? If King Władysław will sit on the throne of Sweden, he will make the Baltic an inland sea belonging to his dominion." (King Charles)